Wedding Party Collection: Don't Tell The Bride: What the Bride Didn't Know / Black Widow Bride / His Valentine Bride

‘Wouldn’t be asking if I didn’t need to know.’

‘I can’t help you, man. Little matter of staying alive.’

‘No problem.’ Trig smiled easily. Harmless. See? ‘Tell us about the night life. Tourist stuff only.’

The girl told them about open-air night clubs that backed onto the sea. She told them about the live music and the bars, the street parties and light shows. She dropped them off at the wharf below the castle’s eastern walls and Trig paid her and tipped well, and told her she didn’t need to take them any further and her sunny smile reappeared.

‘You had me worried, big guy.’

‘Don’t be.’

Her eyes narrowed. ‘That vessel you mentioned. How much do you know about it?’

‘I have a name. I have a friend who might be on it.’

‘By choice?’

Trig shrugged.

The girl shook her head. ‘It’s a mega yacht, with helicopters, a defence system, and a seventy-strong crew, most of them Russian. Thirty or so guest rooms. Not everyone’s a guest.’

‘I don’t see anything like that here.’

‘It stays offshore. Nice and private out there.’

‘How does it refuel?’

‘Tanker.’

‘Anyone ever come in off it?’

‘A woman and a kid. They go to the hospital here once a week, regular as clockwork.’

‘Which day?’

‘Tomorrow. Look for a power cruiser coming in to this wharf around ten a.m.’

‘Thanks.’

‘You seem nice,’ she said. ‘Don’t be a dead man.’ And then she got under way.

‘Guess that saves us walking past a thousand small sailing yachts,’ said Lena. ‘Really wasn’t looking forward to that.’

Trig snorted. ‘I can’t believe you just admitted that.’

‘What? That walking more than a mile or so wears me out?’

‘Yes.’

‘It’s hardly a secret.’

‘I know. But you usually don’t like admitting it.’

‘I’m older and wiser now. I also don’t mind admitting complete ignorance as to why we’re here. You do realise that I can’t remember anything about why that yacht is so important? Or who you think might be on it.’

‘I realise.’

‘Care to share?’

‘Not really. Honeymoon, remember?’

‘I do remember.’ Lena stared up at the towering castle. ‘That is a big castle.’

‘I know. The view from the top of that turret is going to be great.’

‘Maybe if I had a week,’ she joked dryly. ‘I used to have a healthy relationship with steps. Now they just send me weak in the knees.’

‘I’ll carry you,’ he heard himself suggest.

‘That’ll wear you out,’ she said. ‘Let’s just see a bit of the museum.’

They managed to get through half of one wing of the museum before closing time. They took it easy and avoided steps.

And Lena wore herself out anyway.

‘Aches don’t count if you had fun getting them,’ she told him as they waited for their ride back to the hotel. ‘It also makes relaxing at the end of the day so good. Please tell me it’s the end of the day.’

‘There’s still dinner and dancing to go.’

‘Oh.’ Lena visibly wilted. ‘Right.’

‘Aches don’t count if you have fun getting them.’ Trig grinned. Lena thumped him and for a split second all was well with his world.

The sun had slid low in the sky by the time they arrived back at the hotel. Lena had stiffened up during the drive and Trig watched her take her time getting out of the car. He didn’t miss a wince. Neither did the driver.

‘We have a heated bathing pool that is very relaxing,’ the driver told them as he escorted them to the front of the house.

‘You mean the one in the room?’ asked Lena.

‘In addition to the one in the room.’

‘I love Turkey,’ murmured Lena.

‘Also an in-house masseuse.’

‘Perfect. What’s the dress code for this bathing pool?’

‘Swimwear is, of course, required. But the bathing caps need not be worn. The hair need not need be covered.’